'''Marion County, South Carolina''' genealogy and family history research guide. Introduces you to county topics such as vital record births, marriages, divorces, and deaths, census, court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.

*'''''Not''''' to be confused with the [[Marion (1785-1791) County, South Carolina|Marion County]] that has existed 1785 to 1791.

*'''''Not''''' to be confused with the [[Marion (1785-1791) County, South Carolina|Marion County]] that has existed 1785 to 1791.

[http://www.mysouthcarolinagenealogy.com/sc-maps.html "Rotating Formation South Carolina County Boundary Maps"] (1682-1987) may be viewed for free at the My South Carolina Genealogy website. The maps rely on [http://www.goldbug.com/store/animap3.html AniMap 3.0] software.

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[http://www.genealogyinc.com/south-carolina/maps/ "Rotating Formation South Carolina County Boundary Maps"] (1682-1987) may be viewed for free at the My South Carolina Genealogy website. The maps rely on [http://www.goldbug.com/store/animap3.html AniMap 3.0] software.

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== Places / Localities ==

== Places / Localities ==

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{{Marion County, South Carolina}}

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The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

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{{Marion County, South Carolina}} The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Before 1785, residents of what is now Marion County were served by these colonial parishes.<ref name="map">"South Carolina Districts and Parishes 1770" [map] in ''Carolana'' at http://www.carolana.com/SC/Royal_Colony/sc_royal_colony_districts_parishes_1770.html (accessed 11 May 2011).</ref>

Before 1785, residents of what is now Marion County were served by these colonial parishes.<ref name="map">"South Carolina Districts and Parishes 1770" [map] in ''Carolana'' at http://www.carolana.com/SC/Royal_Colony/sc_royal_colony_districts_parishes_1770.html (accessed 11 May 2011).</ref>

The [[South Carolina Department of Archives and History|South Carolina Archives and History Center]] has [http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/guide/CountyRecords/rg0034.htm court records] available on microfilm for Marion County.

The [[South Carolina Department of Archives and History|South Carolina Archives and History Center]] has [http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/guide/CountyRecords/rg0034.htm court records] available on microfilm for Marion County.

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The [[Family History Library]] collection includes books and microfilm regarding [https://familysearch.org/search/search/library_catalog#searchType=catalog&filtered=true&collectionId=&fed=false&page=1&catSearchType=place&searchCriteria=&placeName=South+Carolina,+Marion&author_givenName=&author_surname=&uri=http%3A//catalog-search-api%3A8080/www-catalogapi-webservice/search%3Fquery%3Dsubject_id%3A623892%26count%3D50&subjectId=623892 court records] for Marion County.

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The [[Family History Library]] collection includes books and microfilm regarding [https://familysearch.org/search/search/library_catalog#searchType=catalog&filtered=true&collectionId=&fed=false&page=1&catSearchType=place&searchCriteria=&placeName=South+Carolina,+Marion&author_givenName=&author_surname=&uri=http%3A//catalog-search-api%3A8080/www-catalogapi-webservice/search%3Fquery%3Dsubject_id%3A623892%26count%3D50&subjectId=623892 court records] for Marion County.

*'''[Lane]''' Sirmon, Marilyn Lane and William Arnold Sirmon. ''The Ancestry and Known Descendants of Joseph Lane (1770 - 1850) of Marion County, South Carolina and Simpson County, Mississippi''. 1986. {{FHL|929.273 L242s}}

*'''[Lane]''' Sirmon, Marilyn Lane and William Arnold Sirmon. ''The Ancestry and Known Descendants of Joseph Lane (1770 - 1850) of Marion County, South Carolina and Simpson County, Mississippi''. 1986. {{FHL|929.273 L242s}}

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*'''[Lewis]''' Crump, Vivian Hayes. ''The Lewis Family of Monroe Co. and Marion Co., South Carolina''. 1968. {{FHL|929.273 L585cv}}; digital version at [http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/u?/FH11,135211 Family History Archives].

Tracing records through South Carolina county and district changes can be difficult. In general, for earliest records begin by searching the Charleston District, then your ancestor’s residential district, then neighboring districts, then the residential county, then neighboring counties. Not all districts and counties kept records. The following chart show where you may best expect to find land records for Marion County: <br>

Tracing records through South Carolina county and district changes can be difficult. In general, for earliest records begin by searching the Charleston District, then your ancestor’s residential district, then neighboring districts, then the residential county, then neighboring counties. Not all districts and counties kept records. The following chart show where you may best expect to find land records for Marion County: <br>

Civil War service men from Marion County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed of men from Marion County.

Civil War service men from Marion County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed of men from Marion County.

Tax-related records are kept by the offices of the county Assessor, Auditor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Taxes were levied on real and personal property and can help establish ages, residences, relationships, and the year an individual died or left the area. They can be used as substitutes for missing or destroyed land and census records.<br>

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Tax-related records are kept by the offices of the county Assessor, Auditor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Taxes were levied on real and personal property and can help establish ages, residences, relationships, and the year an individual died or left the area. They can be used as substitutes for missing or destroyed land and census records.<br>

===== Published abstracts =====

===== Published abstracts =====

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===== Birth =====

===== Birth =====

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State-wide birth registration began in 1915; however, delayed birth certificates exist for many county residents from the late 1800s and early 1900s because the clerk recorded all the births listed in family Bibles residents brought before him.<ref>Mike Becknell, "Overview of South Carolina Genealogical Research," Group Tour of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 10 May 2011.</ref>&nbsp; For a copy of&nbsp;a birth from 1915&nbsp;or later,&nbsp;contact the [http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/vr/ South Carolina Department of Health].&nbsp; The Marion County Health Department also has copies but they provide only an abbreviated form with limited information. &nbsp;For more information, see the [[South Carolina Vital Records|South Carolina Vital Records]] page.

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State-wide birth registration began in 1915; however, delayed birth certificates exist for many county residents from the late 1800s and early 1900s because the clerk recorded all the births listed in family Bibles residents brought before him.<ref>Mike Becknell, "Overview of South Carolina Genealogical Research," Group Tour of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 10 May 2011.</ref>&nbsp; For a copy of&nbsp;a birth from 1915&nbsp;or later,&nbsp;contact the [http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/vr/ South Carolina Department of Health].&nbsp; The Marion County Health Department also has copies but they provide only an abbreviated form with limited information. &nbsp;For more information, see the [[South Carolina Vital Records|South Carolina Vital Records]] page.

===== Marriage =====

===== Marriage =====

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The [http://www.sccourts.org/probate/index.cfm?fuseaction=contactinfo&countyno=33 Marion County probate court] holds marriage licenses issued from 1 July 1911 to the present. Statewide registration of marriages began in July 1950 and the [http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/vr/index.htm South Carolina Division of Vital Records] has copies of licenses issued after 1 July 1950 through November 2009.

The [http://www.sccourts.org/probate/index.cfm?fuseaction=contactinfo&countyno=33 Marion County probate court] holds marriage licenses issued from 1 July 1911 to the present. Statewide registration of marriages began in July 1950 and the [http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/vr/index.htm South Carolina Division of Vital Records] has copies of licenses issued after 1 July 1950 through November 2009.

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Newspapers are used as a substitute to locate marriage information.&nbsp; See [[South Carolina Newspapers|South Carolina Newspapers<span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1298405881726_699" />]].

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Newspapers are used as a substitute to locate marriage information.&nbsp; See [[South Carolina Newspapers|South Carolina Newspapers]].

*'''1800-1825''' - ''List of Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Granted in Marion County, South Carolina, as Found in Minute Book of the Probate Court for said County Covering the Years 1800 to 1825'' <ref>South Carolina. Court of Ordinary (Marion County), List of Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Granted in Marion County, South Carolina, as Found in Minute Book of the Probate Court for said County Covering the Years 1800 to 1825, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975.</ref> {{FHL|323374|item}} - abstract<br>

*'''1800-1825''' - ''List of Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Granted in Marion County, South Carolina, as Found in Minute Book of the Probate Court for said County Covering the Years 1800 to 1825'' <ref>South Carolina. Court of Ordinary (Marion County), List of Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Granted in Marion County, South Carolina, as Found in Minute Book of the Probate Court for said County Covering the Years 1800 to 1825, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975.</ref> {{FHL|323374|item}} - abstract<br>

Revision as of 23:35, 30 March 2013

Marion County, South Carolina genealogy and family history research guide. Introduces you to county topics such as vital record births, marriages, divorces, and deaths, census, court records, deeds, maps, immigration, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, plantations, probate records, slaves, local archives, libraries, museums, churches, cemeteries, and Civil War records.

Not to be confused with the Marion County that has existed 1785 to 1791.

County Courthouse

Clerk of Court100 West Court StreetMarion, South Carolina 29571Phone: 843-423-8240Court and land records

Hours:8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

History

"The Swamp Fox" Brig. Gen. Francis Marion (c1732-1795)

The county is named after "The Swamp Fox" Revolutionary War Brigadier General Francis Marion (c1732-1795).[1]

Parent County

1798--Marion County was created in 1798 in the overarching Georgetown District. Marion County/District was created in 1798 by renaming Liberty County. Marion was known as a district from 1800 to 1868. In 1868 the legislature designated Judicial Districts as Counties.[2]

The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Marion County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see South Carolina Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than online nationwide indexes.

1830

Grant, Marvin A. 1830 Census - Marion District, South Carolina: A Full Transcription of the 1830 Census of Marion District South Carolina Encompassing All of Present Day Marion County and Dillon County and a Portion of Florence County. Kinston, N.C.: M.A. Grant, 2004. FHL Collection 975.78 X2g 1830

1840

Ward, Carolyn Prater. 1840 Census of the United States, State of South Carolina, District of Marion. 1990. FHL Collection 975.786 X2w 1840

1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, 1841. FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840; FHL Collection 2321; digital version at Google Books. [See South Carolina, Marion District on page 143.]

1880

Church

Stanley, Victor Bland. Marion Churches and Churchmen, 1735-1935: A Narrative of the Church of England and Its Successor, the Episcopal Church. Charleston, S.C.: Southern Print. & Pub. Co., 1938. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Episcopal Church

Before 1785, residents of what is now Marion County were served by these colonial parishes.[5]

Court

Marion County has court records from 1800 that are held in the office of the Clerk of Court. Marion County was a part of the Georgetown District from 1785 - 1800. The records of the Georgetown District court are housed with the Georgetown County Clerk of Court.

[Lane] Sirmon, Marilyn Lane and William Arnold Sirmon. The Ancestry and Known Descendants of Joseph Lane (1770 - 1850) of Marion County, South Carolina and Simpson County, Mississippi. 1986. FHL 929.273 L242s

Land

Because of South Carolina’s history as an agricultural state many residents owned land. For more information about types of land records see South Carolina Land and Property.

Tracing records through South Carolina county and district changes can be difficult. In general, for earliest records begin by searching the Charleston District, then your ancestor’s residential district, then neighboring districts, then the residential county, then neighboring counties. Not all districts and counties kept records. The following chart show where you may best expect to find land records for Marion County:

Tracing Land Currently in Marion County with Parent Counties and Districts[6]

Date

Government Office

1868-present

Marion County

1800-1865

Marion District

1769-1800

Georgetown District Records Lost

1719-1769

Charleston District

1710-1719

Proprietary Land Grants

*Many colonial deeds for Marion County are recorded in deed records after 1800.

Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868

This series consists of recorded copies of plats for state land grants for the Charleston and the Columbia Series with their certificates of admeasurement or certification. All personal names and geographic features on these plats are included in the repository's On-line Index to Plats for State Land Grants

The South Carolina Constitution of 1790 required the surveyor general to maintain offices in both the new capital at Columbia and in Charleston. The surveyor general began to use separate volumes for recording plats in his Columbia office in 1796. Before that, all plats were recorded in the set of volumes begun in Charleston in 1784. After 1796, most plats for land grants in the Upper Division of the state were recorded and filed in Columbia. The surveyor general chose to make the Columbia volumes a continuation of the state plat volumes begun in Charleston and gave the initial Columbia volume the number thirty-six to correspond with the number of the volume that had then been reached in the Charleston series. As a result, there are volumes numbered thirty-six through forty-three from each office, but the records in them are not duplicative.

Also included are the Plan Books containing Plats and Plans.

Local Histories

Moody, Mary C. Every Name Index to W. W. Sellers: A History of Marion County, South Carolina. (Arlington, Texas : Blackstone Pub., 1985), 184 pages. To make the original volume more valuable, an every name index has been compiled. This index contains over 14,500 names. In this compilation, the actual spelling of the name was retained; therefore, the name of a person may be found under more than one spelling, abbreviated or listed with a title. Book at FHL 975.786 H2sw Index and Other Libraries.

Sellers, William W. A History of Marion County, South Carolina : From its Earliest Times to the Present, 1901. (Greenville, South Carolina : Southern Historical Press, c1996), 647 pages. Names and organizations of Confederate military organizations from the county, pages 572-646. Book at FHL 975.786 H2sw 1996 and microform copies atOther Libraries.

War of 1812

List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Marion County, p. 186-187. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War, 1861-1865

Civil War service men from Marion County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed of men from Marion County.

"Marion County, SC in the War Between the States". SCGenWeb-Marion County Internet site. accessed 11/30/2010. This site contains links to histories of Military units, timelines and other information about Marion County's involvement in the Civil War.

Brunson, Joseph Woods. Pee Dee Light Artillery of Maxcy Gregg's (Later Samuel McGowan's) Brigade, First South Carolina Volunteers (infantry) C. S. A., a Historical Sketch and Roster, (University, Alabama : Confederate Pub., c1983), 60 pages. Includes rosters of the three Pee Dee infantry companies (from Darlington, Horry and Marion counties) which were supported by the Pee Dee artillery. The battery was officially Company D of the 1st South Carolina regiment. Book found at FHL 975.7 M2bjr and Other Libraries.

Sellers, William W. A History of Marion County, South Carolina : From its Earliest Times to the Present, 1901. (Greenville, South Carolina : Southern Historical Press, c1996), 647 pages. Names and organizations of Confederate military organizations from the county, pages 572-646. Book at FHL 975.786 H2sw 1996 and microform copies atOther Libraries.

Newspapers

Historic

The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Marion County, South Carolina on their Chronicling America website. For publication details, including dates of publication, frequency, preceding and succeeding titles, and to find out which libraries have holdings, click on the newspaper title.

Periodicals

Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers new to their area may not encounter. Periodicals at various levels (county, region, and state) may carry articles useful to research in this area. For this county, see:

Darlington Flag

Georgia Genealogical Magazine

Pee Dee Queue (Family History Library book 975.7 D25pe .)

South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research (Family History Library book 975.7 B2sc .)

Probate

Probate is the “court procedure by which a will is proved to be valid or invalid” and encompasses “all matters and proceedings pertaining to the administration of estates, guardianships, etc.”[7] Various types of records are created throughout the probate process. These may include, wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. For further information see probate records in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has microfilms or typescripts of wills, inventories, bills of sale, power of attorneys, bonds, notes, administrations, judgments, and sales records. Archival records include estate papers from 1790-1893 from the court of ordinary and probate court records, along with other corollary papers. Statewide Will Transcriptions, 1782 to 1855, database is available online with a searchable index by name. Images are available.

Early will records of the Court of Ordinary for Marion District are available on microfilm. FHL Film 24127

Also see the 3-volume set of Marion County probate records, 1800-1900:

Taxation

Tax-related records are kept by the offices of the county Assessor, Auditor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Taxes were levied on real and personal property and can help establish ages, residences, relationships, and the year an individual died or left the area. They can be used as substitutes for missing or destroyed land and census records.

Vital Records

Birth, marriage, and death records were not recorded by South Carolina until the 1900s, thus leaving a lack of vital records. Substitute records, when available, are used to obtain this information. These substitute records including newspapers, court records have been added to this section, when applicable.

Birth

State-wide birth registration began in 1915; however, delayed birth certificates exist for many county residents from the late 1800s and early 1900s because the clerk recorded all the births listed in family Bibles residents brought before him.[9] For a copy of a birth from 1915 or later, contact the South Carolina Department of Health. The Marion County Health Department also has copies but they provide only an abbreviated form with limited information. For more information, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Marriage

In South Carolina, marriage licenses were not required by local governments until 1 July 1911. However, in the 1700s, the Church of England parish churches were required to record all marriages - even if the couple were not members of the denomination. Not all churches recorded these marriages and some have not survived. See South Carolina Vital Records for more information.

1800-1825 - List of Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Granted in Marion County, South Carolina, as Found in Minute Book of the Probate Court for said County Covering the Years 1800 to 1825[12]FHL Collection - abstract

↑South Carolina. Court of Ordinary (Marion County), List of Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Granted in Marion County, South Carolina, as Found in Minute Book of the Probate Court for said County Covering the Years 1800 to 1825, Salt Lake City, UT: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975.

↑South Carolina. Court of Ordinary (Marion County), Memoranda of Marriage Licenses Issued by the Court of Ordinary of Marion County, South Carolina Which Appears in Part of an Old Will Book, Salt Lake City, Ut: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975.